“Beautiful,” said Migwan. “I wish I might have attended the rehearsals so I could go around with you.”
“We’ll teach you the carols,” said Gladys eagerly, “and I’ll explain to Miss Jones and I know she’ll let you be in our group. We’ve been given one of the best districts in the city—Garfield Avenue, from the Cathedral to the Park, where all the rich people live—and we expect to bring in more money than any other group. There was great rivalry among the groups for that district, and Miss Jones tested and tested us to see which sang the best. I nearly passed away from surprise when she decided in favor of our group. Oh, won’t it be glorious, though, stopping before all those fine houses?” and Gladys and Hinpoha, unable to keep still any longer, got up and began to dance.
“That isn’t the best part of it, though,” said Sahwah. “All the carolers are invited to the Music League’s clubhouse after the singing is over for an oyster supper and a frolic. And the troupe of midgets that are playing in the Mansfield Theater this week are coming and will give a real Punch and Judy show. Hurrah for the Music Club League! Hurrah for carols! Hurrah for Christmas!”
“I smell something burning,” said Gladys, sniffing the air suspiciously.
“It’s probably something that has been spilled on the stove,” said Katherine serenely. They were all up at Katherine’s house.
“Here are the carols we are going to sing,” said Gladys, pulling Migwan toward the piano. “We might as well begin at once.”
“Do you really think Miss Jones will let me do it?” asked Migwan rather doubtfully.
“I’m sure she will,” said Gladys, “if we all——Katherine, there is something burning; it smells like cloth.” And she rushed off unceremoniously to investigate. The kitchen was full of smoke when she reached it, proceeding from the ironing board, where Katherine had left the electric iron standing without being turned off.
“You ought to have a leather medal, Katherine,” scolded Hinpoha, switching off the current and setting the smoking board outside the back door, while Katherine stood idly by with such a look of pained surprise on her face that the others went into gales of laughter.
“I can’t get used to these self-starting, big city flat-irons, nohow,” she drawled mildly in self-defense. “Back where I come from the irons cool off when you leave them by themselves; here they start heatin’ up.” Katherine always left off her g’s when she spoke earnestly.